Dear colleagues, The Department of Economics cordially invites you to the WU Economics Research Seminar on Wednesday, November 15th, with Francesco Fasani (University of Milan) on "When Non-Native Speakers Compete for Top Schools: Displacement and Peer Effects in Primary Education" Abstract: This study explores the impact of international migration on native students' educational achievements. Following the 2004 EU enlargement, a substantial influx of Polish students heightened competition for primary education in the UK, particularly in Catholic schools, which are among the nation's top educational institutions. Our identification strategy predicts migrants' location choices with a novel instrumental variable that leverages the quasi-random allocation of migrants following a WWII dispersal policy. Combining historical data on Polish settlements with comprehensive administrative records on students in primary schools in England, we find that migrants led to the displacement of native students from Catholic schools toward non-faith schools. Our estimates reveal substantial displacement effects, with native students moving to schools offering similar value-added education and proximity to their homes but featuring a higher proportion of lower-performing and disadvantaged peers. However, our analysis uncovers that the presence of migrants improved test scores among native students. Focusing on native pupils with siblings already enrolled in schools, and hence shielded from displacement risk, we provide evidence that changes in peer composition - caused by both migrant and (displaced) native pupils - generated positive peer effects on native kids. In summary, our findings suggest that despite heightened competition for school placements due to migrants, their presence can enhance the educational outcomes of native students. Date: Wednesday, November 15th Time: 4.30 to 6 pm (CET) Location: building TC, 5th floor, room TC.5.03 With best regards, Harald Oberhofer --- Univ.-Prof. Dr. Harald Oberhofer Department of Economics WU Vienna University of Economics and Business Phone: +43/1/31336-4984 Email: harald.oberhofer@wu.ac.at<mailto:harald.oberhofer@wu.ac.at> Webpage: https://www.wu.ac.at/ie/mitarbeiter/harald-oberhofer/ Austrian Institute of Economic Research (WIFO) Phone: +43/1/7982601-468 Email: harald.oberhofer@wifo.ac.at<mailto:harald.oberhofer@wifo.ac.at> Webpage: http://www.wifo.ac.at/harald_oberhofer